Packing... visiting... and saying goodbyes.

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I hate packing. I don't hate it necessarily because packing = change. I hate packing, because it means going through everything you own. Yes, everything. It is incredible the amount of... stuff... can be accumulated without even realizing it. There's the normal stuff... clothes, bedding, furniture, towels, dishes, etc... and for me, books. How on earth did I come to own so many books?? And going through the boxes... yes, boxes... of the books I owned, I realized that I don't even remember buying or coming to possess most of them. Where did they all come from?? You're guess is as good as mine...

One of the worst things about packing is the inevitable decision making of what to keep and what to throw away or sell. I'm a bit of a hoarder... I don't like to throw away things, especially books or anything with even the smallest sentimental value. I've done well this time around, though, and have sold some furniture, books, movies, and miscellaneous items. (P.S. I still have some items for sale! Hint hint!! 😊 )

Packing this time is even harder than the last few moves. I could just take everything - within reason - with me then. But how do you pack for 12 months living abroad? OK, I know some of it is obvious. Clothes / shoes / jewelry / basic necessities / electronics, etc. 12 months is a long time though! How do I know what I will and won't want or need in the 12 months that I'll be gone? I can't just pack everything this time around, it simply won't fit in the suitcase and... well, that's just crazy talk. So for the next 10 days (!!!!) until Dad and I fly to North Carolina for Thanksgiving and I say goodbye to NH for the next 12 months, I will be packing... and rearranging... and repacking my suitcases. Fingers crossed that I don't forget anything crucial. 😊

In between all that packing, I will be spending every second possible with family and friends. 10 days is not nearly long enough to prepare myself and say goodbye to my life here, regardless of how long I've known this move was going to happen. 10 days. 240 hours. 14,400 minutes, and counting, before I'm gone for more than 365 days. As many people have pointed out, thankfully technology will make it so much easier to stay in touch with every one here in the US. I fully expect many Skype dates, Facebook messages, Snapchats, and comments on here so I can feel like I'm still experiencing a little bit of home while I'm on the other side of the world. I'm starting to realize more and more how crazy the people were that sailed across the ocean to the New World or rode on a wagon for months to the west without an of this technology....

And, with that, I'm off to... you guessed it... start packing!

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